Pesach Substitutes

At some point during Pesach preparations we’ve all tried to convert a main stream recipe into a Pesach one only to discover that we don’t have a clue as to what to substitute for a chometz ingredient. This panic moment is why I started compiling my COMPLETE LIST OF PESACH SUBSTITUTES. I’ve added some great new substitutions this year, thanks to readers who’ve sent in their own ingenious creations. If anyone has any other substitutions that they would like to share please let me (eztlog@hotmail.com) know and I'll attach them to the next Pesach article.  

1 oz. baking chocolate (unsweetened chocolate) = 3 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder plus 1 tablespoon oil or melted margarine

16 oz. semi-sweet chocolate = 6 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder plus 1/4 cup oil and 7 tablespoon granulated sugar  

14 oz. sweet chocolate (German-type) = 3 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder plus 2 2/3 tablespoon oil and 4 1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 cup confectioners' sugar = 1 cup granulated sugar minus 1 tablespoon sugar plus 1 tablespoon potato starch pulsed in a food processor or blender

1 cup sour milk or buttermilk for dairy baking = 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a 1 cup measure, then fill to 1 cup with Passover nondairy creamer. Stir and steep 5 minutes

Butter in baking or cooking use pareve Passover margarine in equal amounts. Use a bit less salt

1 cup honey = 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar plus 1/4 cup water

1 cup corn syrup = 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar plus 1/3 cup water, boiled until syrupy

1 cup vanilla sugar = 1 cup granulated sugar with 1 split vanilla bean left for at least 24 hours in a tightly covered jar

1 cup of flour, substitute 5/8 cup matzo cake meal or potato starch, or a combination sifted together

1 tablespoon flour = 1/2 tablespoon potato starch

1 cup corn starch = 7/8 cup potato starch

1 teaspoon cream of tarter= 1 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice or 1 1/2 teaspoon vinegar

1 cup graham cracker crumbs = 1 cup ground cookies or soup nuts plus 1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup bread crumbs = 1 cup matzo meal

1 cup matzo meal = 3 matzoth ground in a food processor

1 cup matzoth cake meal = 1 cup plus 2 tablespoon matzo meal finely ground in a blender or food processor and sifted

3 crumbled matzo = 2 cups matzo farfel

1 cup (8 oz.) cream cheese = 1 cup cottage cheese pureed with 1/2 stick butter or margarine

Chicken fat or gribenes = 2 caramelized onions, Saute 2 sliced onions in 2 tablespoon oil and 2 tablespoons sugar. Cook until the onions are soft. Puree the onions once they are golden.

1 cup milk (for baking) = 1 cup water plus 2 tablespoon margarine, or 1/2 cup fruit juice plus 1/2 cup water           

1 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk =1 cup instant nonfat dry milk,  2/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup boiling water and 3 tablespoons margarine. Blend all the ingredients until smooth. To thicken, let set in the refrigerator for 24 hours. 

1 cup wine= 13 tablespoons water, 3 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 tablespoon sugar. Mix together and let set for 10 minutes.   

For frying: Instead of chicken fat, use combination of olive oil or vegetable oil and 1 to 2 tablespoons pareve Passover margarine.

Eggs: Passover egg substitutes don't work quite as well as the chometz egg substitutes. For kugels, matzo balls, fried matzo and some cakes the recipes will probably be ok. However, if you want to avoid them (and I do) you can add one extra egg white and 1/2 teaspoon of vegetable oil for each yolk eliminated when baking. Use only egg whites as the dipping to coat and fry meats.

Italian Seasoning= 1/4 teaspoon EACH dried oregano leaves, dried marjoram leaves and dried basil leaves plus 1/8 teaspoon rubbed dried sage. This can be substituted for 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning.

Curry Powder= 2 tablespoons ground coriander, 1 tablespoon black pepper, 2 tablespoons red pepper, 2 tablespoons turmeric, 2 tablespoons ground ginger. Makes 2/3 cup.

Pancake syrup=use fruit jelly, not jam and add a little water to thin. I always like to combine the jelly and water in a microwave safe bowl and heat it gently before I serve it.

Seasoned Rice Wine Vinegar= 3 tablespoons white vinegar, 1 tablespoon white wine, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix to combine. Makes 1/4 cup

Flavored Vinegar= lemon juice in cooking or salad, grapefruit juice in salads, wine in marinades.

Water Chestnuts- substitute raw jicama

Orange liqueur =substitute an equal amount of frozen orange juice concentrate

You can mince the tops of green onions and use them in recipes that call for chives or use celery tops instead of parsley (who are we kidding, we always have parsley during Pesach)

PASSOVER MACARONI AND CHEESE (dairy)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 2-qt. casserole with butter. In a bowl, beat 2 of the eggs well and pour them over the farfel. In another bowl, beat the remaining egg and stir in the milk, salt and pepper. In the casserole, layer half the farfel, half the cheese, half the sour cream (in spoonfuls), and half the butter. Repeat the procedure and pour the milk mixture over the top. Lightly sprinkle the Parmesan over the top. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10-15 minutes, until brown. Serves 6-8.

 PASSOVER WHITE SAUCE (pareve or meat)

In a skillet, heat the oil and then fry the garlic until it's clear, then remove it. In a bowl, mix the potato flour with the stock and then season to taste. With a whisk, blend in the yolks and add the mixture to the pan. Cook over low heat, whisking very gently until the mixture thickens. Stir constantly. 

LEMON PUDDING FOR PESACH (pareve)

In a 1 1/2 quart saucepan or the top of a double boiler, beat the eggs well. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and potato starch and gradually whisk them into the beaten eggs. Stir in the lemon juice and water. Then, over low heat or simmering water in the bottom of the double boiler, cook pudding mixture slowly, stirring constantly until the mixture is thickened and bubbles begin to appear. Remove from heat. Pour or spoon into a dessert cup or Pesach pie shell. Set the pudding aside to cool slightly before serving. Or refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Eileen Goltz, a professional chef and caterer, is the author of the new cookbook, Perfectly Pareve.